Tuesday, April 19, 2016

The Dancing Cat partners with Silicon Valley Pet Project seeking location to re-open in San Jose

SAN JOSE, CA - April 7, 2016—Silicon Valley’s first cat adoption lounge, The Dancing Cat, is back better than ever with the announcement of a new partnership with Silicon Valley Pet Project (SVPP). SVPP is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit animal rescue organization that rescues at-risk cats and dogs from the San Jose Animal Care Center, Silicon Valley’s largest municipal animal shelter.

The Dancing Cat was originally conceived as a four-week pop-up lounge in downtown San Jose in May, 2015, designed to help potential adopters meet and become acquainted with adoptable pets. The Dancing Cat was so embraced by the community, that it remained active and of service to the public for six months. More than 50 adult cats were adopted, 12 community events were held in the space, and over 2,000 visitors passed through the doors.

Building on the organization’s success, The Dancing Cat's founders Mary Rubin and Ann Chasson are joining with Silicon Valley Pet Project to create a permanent space for people to meet, mingle and spend time with adoptable cats. The main goal of the partnership is to find loving forever homes for adult cats who are at risk in the shelter by providing a free-roaming, comfortable and safe space for these cats to be showcased. Additionally, the project seeks to present a unique venue for social and educational events in the community.

To date, SVPP has primarily focused on foster parents and local adoption events to rehome rescued animals, but that strategy is expanding.

“We were incredibly inspired by Ann’s and Mary’s commitment and passion to feature adoptable adult cats in such a creative way,” said Melissa Lisbon, President of Silicon Valley Pet Project. “The adult cats SVPP selected to be featured at The Dancing Cat were quickly adopted by wonderful families. We are excited to join forces in our common mission to save more lives in our community through innovative initiatives. The Dancing Cat represents the Silicon Valley spirit by addressing a challenge with a fresh perspective: the animal welfare challenge of the overpopulation of adult cats in our local shelters.”

The Dancing Cat team is currently searching for a suitable permanent location in the San Jose area. Anyone with information about a possible available location can contact thedancingcat@svpetproject.org. The project is accepting financial donations towards the reopening of The Dancing Cat on its website.

“It was exciting to see how enthusiastically the space was embraced, resulting in so many successful adoptions,” Rubin said. “We in the volunteer and nonprofit arenas can make a bigger impact on a problem like homeless pets when we work together, leverage our passion and learnings. We look forward to continuing The Dancing Cat with SVPP's contributions of both talent and support.”

About
The Dancing Cat is a passion project developed by a small group of cat lovers and creatives who work to improve the quality of life for the cats in Silicon Valley. We are dedicated to connecting these valuable members of our community with their forever homes in a responsible way. Recognizing that there are many cat lovers amongst us, we also hope The Dancing Cat will provide opportunities for new partnerships among people who are contributing to the vibrancy and creativity of our community. www.thedancingcat.org

Silicon Valley Pet Project (SVPP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization of volunteers committed to saving local at-risk shelter pets through rescue, community involvement and education. www.svpetproject.org